An update with a new bird for the Dove Stone reserve 2013 bird list. Walking through the woods yesterday I flushed a Woodcock, which brings our total for this year to 71. We have records of Woodcock prior to this, but this is our first record for the year. Woodcock are extrememly well camouflaged birds that aren't active during the day, unless flushed. These are birds that are crepuscular - active at dusk and dawn, with dusk being when they can be seen during the summer months 'roding' - the male performing the courtship display flight. They'll also feed nocturnally, foraging for worms and insects in meadows or pastures that are in the vicinity of woodland.
Elsewhere around Dove Stone yesterday there was lots of activity up at Binn Green from some large groups - a charm - of Goldfinches as well as good views of Great Spotted Woodpecker on the peanut feeders. I only recently found out that like Sapsuckers, which are North American woodpeckers, Great Spotted Woodpeckers also feed on sap. Also around the feeeding arera at Binn Green and in the larches are good numbers of Blue, Great and Coal Tit, Greenfinch, lots of Chaffinches - but no Brambling to be seen amongst them - the beeches around the Life-for-a Life woodland is still the place to look out for Brambling.
Moving on. In the woods below Binn Green there were good numbers of Goldfinch that looked like they were feeding on Alder cones as well as, again, plenty of Chaffinches in this area and a single female Bullfinch. I love that quiet, low-single note piping call of Bullfinches. Goldfinches are fantasically colourful birds but I do think that Bullfinches are something else.
Other recent sightings from yesterday include the regular Grey Heron at the foot of Chew Brook and a Nuthatch. Final sighting from yesterday was of a squirrel in freefall, followed by a classic cartoon 'thud' sound effect - it must have fallen a good 20 feet, probably more like 30, from a tree before climbing up the next tree with seemingly no problem at all...
More soon with an update soon on the wetlands bird survey and other recent sightings...